McGill Libraries planning

1. Improve the environmental sustainability practices in the McGill Libraries in order to contribute to waste reduction, energy conservation, and the use of eco-friendly resources

• Obtain Bronze or higher McGill Sustainable Workplace Certification for the McGill Libraries
• Be the first CARL member library to join and begin work toward certification from the Sustainable Libraries Initiative

2. Boost fundraising efforts for current McGill Libraries campaigns and establish new initiatives

• Complete the Head of Osler Library Endowment Campaign
• Identify and develop one or two campaigns for the Libraries

a. for recruitment and retention

• Create a guide outlining the process for filling all vacant positions in Libraries
• Write procedures for appointment for positions of Unit Heads, Associate Deans, and Vice-Dean
• Codify procedures for the recruitment of librarians and archivists
• Review job descriptions for MUNACA positions
• Develop and implement onboarding and offboarding checklists for all employee groups
• Implement new guidelines for the recruitment and supervision of student employees
• Report on retention of librarians and archivists

b. for emergency preparedness

• Establish comprehensive emergency plan for the Libraries

c. for budgeting and finance

• Review the service model for the Libraries’ Budget and Finance Office and make recommendations for improvements, including the organizational structure
• Ensure the Libraries’ budget aligns with priorities set by library leadership

d. for the workplace

• Prepare for and implement a space plan for staff in Collection Services and Library Technology following the pilot phase at 550 Sherbrooke
• Evaluate the need for a health and safety committee in the Libraries

e. for research collaborations

• Develop guidelines to support research initiatives which draw on contributions from members of the Libraries’ team, its collections and resources (e.g., grant support, research syntheses)

4. Develop capacity and tools to monitor the Libraries’ priorities, annual plan, and operational objectives

• Make all libraries measures available to all staff by creating a centralized repository
• Launch an operational dashboard to provide visualizations of the libraries’ activities
• Launch a strategic dashboard to monitor progress of the Libraries’ strategic priorities and key performance indicators

5. Foster a knowledgeable, empathetic, and service-oriented Libraries’ staff

• Implement and regularize a training program to support all staff to thrive in their roles
• Collaboratively design, develop a budget for, and implement an EDIA training program for Libraries staff, with a variety of topics and modes of delivery

6. Launch the redesigned website for McGill Libraries for a better user experience

• Redesign website layout, revise content, and reorganize sitemap
• Migrate to Drupal 10

7. Enhance the student experience across all library locations

• Complete the accessibility review of library space and provide users with information on environmental conditions in all libraries
• Harmonize user signage across all libraries
• Establish guidelines to identify the browsable collection for the Humanities and Social Sciences Library and Schulich Library of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Engineering

8. Ensure the service model for public services aligns with the needs of the McGill community

• Review the service model and make recommendations for improvements, including a staffing plan

9. Offer students exceptional support for their studies by providing high quality research guides

• Conduct an accessibility audit of all LibGuides
• Develop guidelines for the creation and maintenance of LibGuides to ensure consistency and accessibility

10. Ensure the Libraries’ collections reflect the research, teaching, and learning needs of the McGill community by bolstering workflows and communication between Collection Services and public services

• Implement strategies to enhance communication between Collection Services and other units
• Foster a shared understanding of collection development and collection management among Collection Services, library heads, and liaison librarians through the re-launch of the Collection Stewardship Committee

12. Increase the visibility and care of all of McGill Libraries’ distinctive collections and art

• Reopen Rare Books and Special Collections research grants to bring more scholars to its collections
• Re-establish a publication program for distinctive collections
• Develop an exhibition program
• In collaboration with Collection Services, review cataloguing backlog and establish a plan, including defining needs for new workflows and staffing
• Identify the conservation function for Rare Books and Special Collections

In progress

13. Take action for proactive restitution of cultural materials to their communities of origin

• Contribute to emerging university-wide policies and procedures for the return of cultural items held at McGill that are the rightful property of other nations or peoples

14. Make print collections available to users with disabilities

• Review service with Student Accessibility and Achievement to provide accessible versions of print materials in compliance with Canadian copyright law

Not started

15. Make new relationships with campus partners to enhance the Libraries’ contributions to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) at McGill

• Increase the number of collaborative initiatives, joint projects, and co-hosted events in the areas of EDIA

16. Make new relationships with campus partners to enhance the Libraries’ contributions to Indigenous initiatives at McGill

• Increase the number of collaborative initiatives, joint projects, and co-hosted events in the areas of Indigenous Initiatives

17. Enhance the Libraries’ support for McGill's research impact by encouraging accurate attribution of academic and research contributions through targeted outreach, resources, and guidance

• Promote the adoption of ORCID-iD to increase the visibility and recognition of research output

18. Raise awareness within the McGill community of the challenges in the scholarly publishing landscape to foster greater engagement to advocate for change

• Develop a strategy to highlight the challenges associated with article processing charges (APCs) and so-called “transformative agreements” while also exploring alternative approaches to achieve open access to research

19. Provide complete range of services at the McGill University Collections Centre (MUCC)

• Complete transfer of backlogged material into the automated storage retrieval system
• Ensure Sofia reflects accurate library holdings
• Implement scanning service at MUCC
• Establish offsite backup for MUCC database and system, working with McGill IT

20. Protect McGill Libraries’ digital systems and content

• Implement cybersecurity measures in alignment with best practices
• Conduct preliminary activities related to digital preservation
• Build partnership with MUA on a digital preservation strategy and policy